Finding Jesus
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
JOHN 21 1-13
Finding Jesus, again, was something the disciples had to do. The “old” Jesus was laid in the tomb. The “new” Jesus was now alive. Not fully understanding the Cross and His Salvation, they were mystified about His death and His purpose. Here, in John’s gospel, he relates to us something that transpired out along a sea side where seven of His disciples found the Master, again. They were not the same after this encounter.
I see three things in these verses of John. The first thing I note is the SITUATION of the long night and the short morning. Next, I see the SURPRISE that greeted them as they recognized that it really was a live Jesus and not a dead hero. Then, I see the SECURITY He offered them and us as He met them that morning so long ago.
* THE SORROW: John 21:1-4; There was/is no way to gauge the depth of sorrow that these grown men suffered when they saw their Friend and their Hope nailed to the cross. They just could not believe it. For over three years they walked and talked with Him and they just thought it would go on like that for ever. But, He was dead and they had to pick up their lives and go on living-so they thought.
John 21:3; For Peter and the other fishermen of the group, that meant going back to their original job as fishermen. Yet, climbing into that boat, casting out the net, rowing to where the fish was supposed to be, was not exhilarating to them anymore. That night had to be filled with Sorrow. So often our nights are filled with sorrow: sorrow over broken health, ruined lives, depleted finances, wayward family members, lost jobs and the list goes on and on. Many are the nights that we labor in vain and are filled with great Sorrow.
John 21:3;Next, I see the Struggle that these men endured. These men were accomplished fishermen. They knew where the fish were. They knew how far down the fish were swimming, they knew how to catch the fish-but not this night. They struggled on and on, and their labor was fruitless. Oh, how often that mirrors our lives! We struggle in the darkness, we know what to do, we have been down the road before, we have all the answers, but we struggle and struggle and our catch is nil. We cannot seem to get ahead, bills pile up, life becomes more complex, our health deteriorates, our friends move away or they stop speaking to us, and we struggle constantly waiting for the break in the darkness and nothing happens. We are laboring all night and catching nothing.
John 21:3; I also note the Silence. There was no Jesus with whom to talk. The sea mocked their hearts. The Silence was deafening. Alone, they labored and the night wore on. Sometimes we get in that straight. We would like to talk to someone, to confide in someone and no one is near to listen or to help. Sometimes we enter the night that is filled with Silence and we toil all night long, wanting to talk to Jesus, but He seems so far away. We would love to have Him come and sit beside us in our boat of life and talk with us, but He seems to have gone away on a far journey. These disciples toiled all night in Sorrow and in Silence and caught nothing.
Ah, but wait, as the Psalmist said, “Joy comes in the morning.”
** THE SURPRISE: John 21:4, 5; What a Surprise these men had in store for them when the morning light dawned.
Not seeing any other people through out that night, as far as john relates to his reader, these disciples suddenly saw Someone on the shore, with a fire sizzling, and evidently some thing to eat. It was, as if this Person, appeared out of nowhere. Surely they would have seen any person walking along the beach as the sun arose. The fishermen among the seven were trained to notice details: the formation of gathering clouds, the shifting of the wind, the change in the temperature, the appearance of the sea’s surface-all of these were details that would indicate a change in the location and feeding of the fish. The fishermen knew how to notice small details. Here, they would have seen anyone walking along the sea side, but not this time.
Yet, there, as the sun began to dispel the night of Sorrow and Silence, stood a man, nursing a fire, and gently cooking a delicious breakfast. Isn’t that just like our Lord? When we have labored so long in Silence and in Sorrow and came up empty with all of our labors, suddenly, there He stands preparing a feast for us: a feast of answered prayers; a feast of His divine presence; a feast of tenderness and compassion; a feast that only He can prepare for a hungry child of God.
When we think He has gone and does not hear us; when the enemy of our soul tells us that all is lost and it is time to turn our backs on Jesus, just when we think we cannot endure one more moment of Silence, nor one more moment of Sorrow, and when our energy is exhausted and we have come up empty-there He stands ready to give us sustenance and help for the new day-one more day to serve Him the best we can.
John 21:5; I notice what this Stranger said, “Children.” Note the Surname He used: “Children.”
He did not call them “Traitors” or “Turncoats,” or any derogatory name; He called them “Children” a term used in friendship and endearment. He did not upbraided them for their failure, but loved them and was preparing a fest for them. How many times have we turn our back on Him when He counted on us the most and yet he never reminds any of us of our failing him. Every time we approach Him, it is always the same, “my Child” “my Children.” What a pleasant Surprise this was to the men and especially to Peter. In so calling them, “Children” He signified to them that He carried no grudges nor animosity toward them-He understood their frailty.
John 21:5; I note that Jesus went from telling them of His understanding and forgiveness to asking about their welfare, “Have you had success? Do you have any meat? any thing to eat after your long night of hard labor?” Jesus was not only getting a much needed meal ready for these hungry men, but He was Sincere in His inquiry over their welfare. The meal He was preparing was for one time only. What He asked them was to find out if they had enough fish to sell some in order to have money for themselves and enough fish left over for another meal or two.
We may view our salvation as a passage way into Heaven which it is, but the Saviour who redeemed us with His blood is vitally interested in our social living and our daily bread as we labor here below. David said he never saw the righteous man begging for bread and Jesus prayed that God would give his children our “daily bread.” He was interested in the disciples for the meal which he was preparing and was interested in them for their future sustenance. He has not changed; He still looks after His own.
*** THE SECURITY: John 21:6-13; When the men informed this Stranger that they had come up empty, He had a very simple plan for them: cast the net on the other side of the boat. How strange! Some of these men were experts at the art of fishing and after a long hard night-this Stranger says such a novel plan for fishing, cast the net from the other side of the boat. What they did not know until a few moments later was that this Stranger, knew more about where the fish were than they.
How many times have we tried the same old things to find success and it always has eluded us? Yet, when we encounter Jesus, He always has a new plan, “Do it my way, if you want to succeed.” The men did as He said and there were fish, 153 big fish.
John 21:6-11; The number and characteristics of these fish were given by John to reveal that they each had a Sufficient take for the night. Now, they could sell enough of these big fish, make some money, and eat the rest later. Christ is always interested in us and always gives us the fish that got away form the other fishermen who do not recognize Him as their Saviour.
When the catch was in progress and the net was beginning to break-the truth dawned on them just who this Stranger was-it was Jesus. When in the midst of obeying the voice of the Stranger you might meet when you least expect it, obey His words. Look for the Stranger in your midst that tells you in your most discouraging moment, “Cast the net over the other side.” When you hear these words after a long and hard struggle, remember, Jesus knows where the miracles are and He has enough of His big fish to supply your needs now and on into the future.
John 21: 12; While the miracle was being brought into shore, Jesus made a simple Supplication to them, “Come and eat.” Oh, how precious were those words to the hungry men that day. Jesus had enough fish and bread cooking to supply these hearty appetites. He always has enough to supply our needs. “Come and eat,” what an invitation.
Someday, after our night of Struggle and Sorrow ends, after we have labored in His vineyard and after we have thought that our night’s work was all in vain, some glad morning, He will call us to “Come and eat” at the marriage Supper of the Lamb. There will be enough food for the millions as we sit at His table for seven years and never run out of what he will prepare for us. Someday, we will hear those words, “Come and eat,” and we will be in the presence of the resurrected Lord.
John 21:13; I then notice who served whom. He called them, “Children” and He soon called them to come and eat, which they did. John then relates who the Servant was. He, who was betrayed by some if not all of these men, welcomed them back to Him by His appellation of, “Children’ and then performing a miracle for them by the catching of the fish, now He invites them to come and eat, and He served them.
If there ever was a reaming doubt in their mind about His forgiveness, it was gone now. This Serving Saviour still serves His children. We should be serving Him, but He serves us. He has done so much for us, we should be forever serving Him. History records that these men, now welcomed back to Him, paid with their lives for following Him. Something tells me that this moment by the sea side helped them gain the proper perspective to resolve in their hearts to live and die for Him.
Conclusion: A night spent in Sorrow and Silence, filled full of hard Struggle, evaporated in the light of the morning when the Son shone so brightly for them. If He did it for them, He will do the same for us.
